Puerto Rico Women's Softball Team opens camp, eyes World Games medal

Puerto Rico Women's Softball Team opens camp, eyes World Games medal
13/06/2022
The Puerto Rican squad has opened its first training camp ahead of The World Games 2022, which take place from 9-13 July in Birmingham, Alabama.

The Puerto Rican Women’s Softball Team is gathering at Evelio Rivera ballpark in Guaynabo, Puerto Rico, as part of the squad's first training camp ahead of this July's The World Games 2022

Veterans like Karla Claudio, Jena Cozza and Alyssa Rivera, who played for Puerto Rico in the WBSC Americas Olympic Qualifier in 2019, highlight the list of players in Guaynabo. The camp also features young talent like Keira Bucher, Kathyria García, Janelle Martínez, Esperanza Coe and Tatiana Roman, who helped Puerto Rico earn the bronze medal at the WBSC U-18 Women’s Softball World Cup last year, in Lima, Peru.

The Puerto Rican pitching staff will be led by Aleshia Ocasio and Kamalani Dung, who will join the team at a later stage.

“The team is a mix of experienced players at the senior level with players who are coming up from the youth team,” said Head Coach David Santos. “We are in a transition stage, we want to make it orderly to sustain our level of play and so the young players can gain experience.”

The team will train until 18 June in Puerto Rico, and eight days later will move to Tampa Bay, Florida, to finish camp before facing Mexico in the official softball opener of The World Games on 9 July at Hoover Met Park.

The Puerto Rican squad is stepping in for China, who in March withdrew from the tournament. The team is currently ranked fifth in the WBSC Women’s Softball World Rankings.